Cuspidor.



No. 792,871. PATENTBD JUNE 20, 1905.

` W. B. & E. P. ALFORD.

GUSPIDUR.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 17, 1904.

' the spittoon causes the same to rotate.

UNITED STATES Patented June 20, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

VILLIAM BASKIN ALFORD AND EDWIN I). ALFORD, OF SUMTER, SOUTH CAROLINA.

CUSPIDOR.

SPECIFICATION' forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,871,

dated June 20, 1905.

Application iled June 17, 1904. Serial No. 213,022.

To LU whom, t 11m/y concern:

Be it known that we, VILLIAM BAsKIN AL- Ifortn and EDWIN I). ALFoRD, citizens of the United States, residing at Sumter, in the county of Sumter and State of South Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cuspidors, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention is a rotating cuspidor suitable particularly for the use of dentists; and it is characterized particularly by a construction whereby the force of water supplied to The water is supplied from a suitable nozzle to a groove extending around the upper edge of the spittoon, and from the groove the water `[lows down the side of the spittoon, on both the inside and outside thereof, in an even sn'ioothly-flowing sheet. The construction is such that the water does nottravel around the spittoon to form a vortex or whirl; but, although it is carried around with the spittoon, its direction of iow is directly or in radial lines to the waste-pipe at the center. Improved details with respect to the construction and mounting of the bowl and the traps at the waste-pipe will also be evident.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the cuspidor. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail in section.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 6 indicates the bowl of the cuspidor, which may be made of glass, metal, or other suitable material. The nipple 7 around the waste-opening at the center of the bowl fits easily in a socket at the top of a cup 8, which is carried at the upper end of a spindle 9. The spindle finds its bearings within a tube 10, which is screwed through and held in an opening in a hollow head or casing 11, to which the wastepipe 12 connects. The upper bearing for the spindle consists of a bushing 13, screwed into the top of the tube, and the lower end of the spindle is stepped into a bearing in the screwplug 111, which is screwed into the outer and lower end of the tube. The bowl is thus free to rotate upon and with the spindle and cup and may be readily lifted out of its socket and removed when desired.

Within the outlet-opening of the bowl and the cup 8 is litted a catch-basket 15, which is preferably hexagonal or angular in cross-section, so that spaces are left down beside the basket for the escape of water which flows down within the bowl. The basket has perforations 16 and is designed to catch fillings, teeth, Sac., dropped into the bowl. The top of the basket projects some little distance above the bottom of the bowl. The purpose and effeet of this is to allow the water to ordinarily low beside the basket, since the iow of water through the basket would be accompanied by more or less agitation and noise. If and when the iow of water is increased beyond the capacity of the passages down beside the basket it will then iiow over the edge of and down through the same. The upper part of the cup 8 has perforations, as at 8, allowing the waste water to fiow out. The bottom portion of the cup forms a trap to catch gold or other metals dropped into the spittoon. The bowl, cup, and spindle may be readily lifted out of the casing at the head of the waste-pipe to recover such metal or for other purposes, since the parts all [it loosely together and within the casing and the bearings therein.

The bowl 6 of the euspidor has in the upper edge thereof a groove 17, which extends around said edge and to which water is supplied from' a pipe 18, leading from any suitable source of water-supply. A cap 19 is supported upon the nozzle of the pipe and exy tends over and beyond said nozzle and the sides of the groove to prevent splashing of water delivered from the nozzle. In both the inner and outer rims beside the groove 17 are a series of notches 20, through which the water escapes from the groove to the inner and outer sides of the bowl. The notches in the inner rim communicate with radial grooves 21 of slight depth, which grooves extend about half-way down the side of the bowl and finally merge gradually with the surface thereof. The grooves tend to prevent swirl or rotary motion of the wheel with respect to the bowl, and consequently to cause most direct iiow of water to the outlet. This is important, since if the water acquire a whirling motion in the bowl the escape is slow and the water would IOO tend to rise in the bowl, with objectionable delay in the waste or flushing action. On the outside of the bowl the grooves are not needed; but a plain smooth surface is preferable down which the water iows to the outlet. The adhesion of the water to the side of the bowl will normally cause it to flow directly to the outlet; but to prevent and catch any drip from the outside of the bowl a cupped metal shell 22 is employed. This is spaced from the outside of the bowl a sufficient distance to allow the water to flow down between, and said shell has a nipple 23, which is screwed into the socket or opening formed in the top of the casing 11. The nipple 23 is of greater diameter than the top of the cup 8, whereby a space is produced between said nipple and cup for the escape of the water which iiows down the outside of the bowl.

The casing 11 is substantially globular in form, and the chamber therein surrounds the cup 8 and receives the waste water from both the inside and the outside of the bowl. An outlet-pipe 12 is tapped into the top of the casing behind the partition 11", which causes an upiiow of the water from the casing into the outlet-pipe. 'Ihis prevents gurgling or objectionable noise.

The water is delivered tangentially from the supply-pipe into thc groove 17 and in addition to supplying water thereto causes the bowl to rotate upon its spindle 9, which insures an even supply of water all around the groove 17, and consequently a smooth and even iow of water to the inside and outside of the bowl. The notches 2O may, if desired, be omitted, in which event the water will How over the rims of the groove and down the sides of the bowl in a similar manner. It is to be understood that the water is carried with the bowl, so that it rotates with respect to the stationary parts; but ithas no rotation with respect to the bowl. Consequently its only flow is directly to the outlet at the center, which, as said before, is important in preventing backing up, which would be inc-ident to the formation of a vortex. It will be noticed that the catch-basket 15 or the bowl 6, or both, may be removed without disturbing the other parts. Also the cup 8 and the spindle may be pulled out of its bearings without the use of any tools or appliances and may be as readily replaced. If it be desired to allow the water to remain in the bowl, it can be accomplished by partly closing the cock 25 in the wastepipe, preventing the escape of water to the extent required to back the same up into the cuspidor. This action, however, would be limited to the height of the outer metal shell 22. The water in thc trough formed by the groove in the upper edge of the bowl is comparatively or relatively still with respect to the bowl, since both travel at practically the same speed.

Consequently the overflow from the trough down the sides of the bowl takes the form of thin smooth sheets of water having a radial flow only direct to the outlets at the center.

A cuspidor constructed according to the above description will be found to be noiseless and effective in operation, easy to keepv clean, and generally desirable for dental purposes.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A cuspidor comprising a rotatable bowl, having a groove in the upper edge to which water is supplied and constructed to cause a iow of water down the inside and outside surfaces of the bowl, and means to support the bowl and collect and convey the waste water therefrom.

2. In a cuspidor, in combination, a support having a waste-water pipe, a spindle rotatable in the support, a bowl mounted upon the spindle and rotatable therewith, means to supply a iiow of water over both the inside and outside surfaces of the bowl, and means to collect the waste water therefrom and convey same to the said pipe.

3. A rotatable cuspidor bowl having a groove in the rim forming a water-trough extendinglengthwise around the rim, and a wasteoutlet at the center, notches in the rim at the side of the groove, through which the water Hows into the bowl, and grooves in the bowl leading from the notches toward the outlet.

4. In a flushing cuspidor, the combination of a hollow casing forming the head of the wastepipe, a spindle mounted in bearings in said casing, a bowl carried on the spindle and having a tubular outlet at the center extending through an opening in the top of the casing, with a space therebetween, and. means to cause a flow of water over both the inside and outside surfaces of the bowl.

In a flushing cuspidor, the combination of a waste-pipe having a hollow casing at the head thereof, said casing having an opening in the top, a spindle mounted in bearings in the casing, a rotatable bowl carried on the spindle and having a tubular outlet extending through said opening' and spaced from the edges thereof, a cupped shell outside the bowl and constructed to conduct drip to said opening, and means to cause a flow of water over the inside and outside surfaces of the bowl.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of the subscribing' witnesses.

WM. BASKIN ALFORD. EDWIN I). ALFORD. NVitnesses to Wm. B. Alford:

JOHN L. BURNS, W. B. BURNS. Witnesses to Edwin I). Alford:

G. A. LnMMoN, J. K. CRosswELL.

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